Saturday: First run on Crossfire (5.12a)I climb up, make the first clip, and downclimb to the start to rest and evaluate the first crux, which is making the second clip. The feet smear on slick rock. There are several possible clipping holds, but none are bigger than divots. Balance is crucial. Evaluation of the risk: If I fall clipping the bolt, I deck, and break an ankle. Decision: If I can find the right combination of foot and hand holds so that I feel in balance, Iíll pull up rope and make the clip; otherwise, Iíll take. I climb past the first bolt, smear my feet, and get the left hand divot. Iím out of balance; itís too dangerous to clip, Iím getting pumped. I momentarily consider ďtaking,Ē but I remember Iím still safe, well protected by the first bolt. I look for possibilities: What can I do to get in balance? I experiment with alternate foot and hand holds, and eventually find a combination that puts me in balance. Iím pretty pumped now, but judge I can hang on long enough, so I make the clip. Iím more pumped now and again consider taking, but then tell myself that Iím protected by second bolt. I look ahead a few moves. They are overhanging and strenuous, but not dangerous. I commit to the sequence and climb to a stemming rest in a cave, and clip the third bolt.

The second crux is moving out of the cave and traversing 8 feet left to a good left-hand sidepull. My feet will need to dance across another section of slick rock with the bolt at my feet. The handholds available to work across to the sidepull are small horizontal edges and sidepulls. I do the little foot dance and get my right foot on the best hold and stem out with my left foot. I reach out with my left hand and come up just short of the sidepull. I deadpoint for it, but my feet slip and I fall. This is a successful outcome to me. I climbed to failure. I was afraid to take this same fall last year. Improvement. Iíve learned this fall is safe. I pull up into the cave, and try the sequence again. I deadpoint for the hold, miss the sweet spot, and again fall. Third try: Maybe I can find a way to static the move. I get into position and reach out for the sidepull (just in case Iíd grown in the last 15 minutes). I canít make the reach. Think in possibilities: I need to use a right handhold further to the left so that I can make the reach. There is a thin right-facing sidepull at my left shoulder. I reach across my body and try it with my right hand. It feels too thin to use. If I lean left to weight it Iíll fall. Think possibilities: What can I do to use this thin sidepull better. Hips in. OK that helps. Now it feels like I might be able to use it and I know the fall is safe. Go for it. I lean to the left to weight the thin right-hand sidepull, and make a quick, static grab for the good left-hand sidepull. Got it! The second crux is over. The rest of the route is challenging, but well within my abilities.

"This is a successful outcome to me. I climbed to failure." Work on eliminating the words success and failure as explained in Chp 2 of the book. Rather, "By continually focusing on possibilities I created an outcome that allowed me to redpoint the route."

"I pull up into the cave, and try the sequence again." There is no reason to say "try." Try is tied to the destination. The only reason people say try is because they don't know whether or not they can reach the destination. Rather, "I pull up into the cave, and DID the sequence again."